CE marking

CE marking isn't a single certificate. The manufacturer identifies every EU directive and regulation that applies (for electronics, typically the EMC Directive and Low Voltage Directive, or the Radio Equipment Directive, plus RoHS and increasingly cybersecurity and ecodesign rules), demonstrates conformity, usually by testing to harmonized standards, compiles a technical file, signs an EU Declaration of Conformity, and then affixes the mark.

For most electronics this is self-declaration; some product categories or conformity routes require a notified body, an independent organization designated by an EU member state.

Where it bites: the technical documentation must be kept available to authorities, generally for 10 years after the product is placed on the market; many product types need an economic operator established in the EU who is responsible for compliance; and the declaration covers the exact product, so design changes can invalidate it.